Act 3 - Amy and Cobalt's Logs¶
Amethyst's Experiment Log 1¶
(Beep!)
(MON - 10/4/5AU - 10PM)
(FffssSHSHHHHhhh...)
(The scene suddenly gets bathed in light as Amethyst lights a candle, the flame making her pure black hands glow a very dark purple. Her pure black hair and dark purple streak are tied back in a loose ponytail. She holds up the match and waves it out. The camera is on Amy's desk, and in the background is a bunk bed, the top bunk messier than the lower, and a window in the back wall with darkness outside. Amy picks up her pen and slides a note page to the center of the cleared portion of her desk.)
"Saul couldn't hold the rift open for very long, nor could he open it very wide. Opening rifts does require a certain amount of strength."
(She writes something down on a sheet of note paper.)
"But I have my doubts that Saul would be unable to pull open a rift now. He's is the resistance's head mechanic, handyman, and metalworker. He used to be our best realmspace navigator before rifts became ineffective. He didn't even use a map, he just used the realms' stars to guide him.
Hmm...I guess it's not outside the realm of possibility, though."
(A slim humanlike kni girl with shoulder-length black hair, a black t-shirt, and dark gray shorts drops down silently from the top bunk, and takes a detour specifically to not come near Amy while passing.)
(The room's door opens then closes out of shot.)
"Rooming with Cobalt as of a few days ago. Housing officer placed her here because we have history together. She's...not much for conversation anymore, she's a salvage runner for the resistance now."
(Amy sets a little metal stand over top the candle, on top of which she puts a small metal pot. She pours water from a canteen into the small pot, and puts a tea bag into it.)
"I'm going to see if I can design some sort of machine to physically pull the rift open. It's worth a shot."
(Amy reaches over to the camera.)
(Beep!)
Cobalt's Field Notebook¶
mon 10/4
preparing for tomorrow
have to get list from S.
grab duffel bag
get armor back from Sp. done fixing
Amethyst's Experiment Log 2¶
(Beep!)
(TUE - 10/5/5AU - 8PM)
(The camera's pointed to the room. Amy is standing in the room with a strong humanlike kni with short facial hair wearing a yellow t-shirt and a hi-vis jacket.)
"Ok, Saul."
(Saul raises his right fist halfway.)
(Cobalt passes the camera. She's exchanged her shorts for black pants, and wearing a dark gray leather chestplate with shoulder straps and a black bandana over her face. As she passes, you can hear the door close.)
(After a moment, Saul's hand glows purple and he slowly cuts downward through the air with an open palm. Then, straining, he twists his hand counter-clockwise. You'd swear he was arm-wrestling with someone. Into the small rift, Amethyst places a mini jack.)
(But the rift closes and bisects the jack, leaving an eerily clean cut.)
Saul: "H- Where did half the jack go?"
"I didn't think that would work. Had to try."
(Amy puts the camera back where it was on the desk.)
(Beep!)
Cobalt's Field Notebook¶
tue 10/5
clear
wind NE
jacket weather
S.'s list
( ) wire(any)
( ) glue
(x) screwdrivers(any, crosshead pf)
used storm grate exit
(!) ash on the street
found burned workshop
broken toolbox
wire in ceiling
can't reach, left
(!) normal wp, back safe
Amethyst's Experiment Log 3¶
(Beep!)
(WED - 10/6/5AU - 10PM)
(Amethyst comes back into focus wearing a pair of reading glasses. Next to her right elbow is a mug, steam slowly rising from it. The candle is burning a solid inch lower, and Cobalt's back. Amethyst's comparing a...thing to a piece of paper.)
"Ok, so I drew up this kind of claw thing, and I carved it out of wax..."
(She shows the camera. It's a wax hook with a hole on the long side.)
"What my thinking is, that Saul or someone will start a rift, and I'll be able to literally yank it open with four of these...not made of wax, of course."
(Cobalt gives Amy a quick glance from the top bunk. Amy is facing the camera. She's gesticulating with the wax hook.)
"Still trying to figure out how to pull them apart."
(Amy reaches over to the camera.)
(Beep!)
Cobalt's Field Notebook¶
wed 10/6
A. made wax hook
didn't mention that dulls her knife
would've been better to use focus
thu 10/7
raining
wind NW
brought coat, not needed
S.'s list
( ) wire(any)
( ) glue
( ) nails, not screws this time
used main tunnel exit
(!) normal wp
another empty house
more wire, couldn't reach
struck out
(!) detour, wp in way
Amethyst's Experiment Log 4¶
(Beep!)
(FRI - 10/8/5AU - 9PM)
(The camera's pointed to the room with Amy is standing again. Against the back wall is a wooden contraption.)
"It's a prototype."
(She pulls one of the wooden arms out from the center, then lets go. It snaps shut.)
"That's...not it."
(Amy reaches over to the camera.)
(Beep!)
Cobalt's Field Notebook¶
fri 10/8
ash in the air out again
not good
Amethyst's Experiment Log 5¶
(Beep!)
(SAT - 10/9/5AU - 10PM)
(The camera's pointed to the room with Amy is standing in front of the wooden prototype again.)
(She pushes one of the hooks to the center. The sprung wooden arm cracks and splits.)
(Amy covers her mouth and reaches over to the camera, putting it back on the desk, bringing Cobalt back into frame.)
(Beep!)
Cobalt's Field Notebook¶
sat 10/9
A.'s machine startled me
tried to hide it
don't think she saw
sun 10/10
A. takes a rest on sevdas
good
windy out
Amethyst's Experiment Log 6¶
(Beep!)
(MON - 10/11/5AU - 11PM)
(The candle's burning even lower. Cobalt in on the top bunk, cleaning her leather chestplate with a damp cloth.)
"Alright, so I have a new armature drawn up. It's a take on a rack and pinion. The center screw will turn and the arms, having racks connecting them to the screw in the center, will pull apart. I don't know how to turn the screw yet..."
(Amy yawns.)
"But I think that's for tomorrow."
(Amy reaches over to the camera.)
(Beep!)
Cobalt's Field Notebook¶
mon 10/11
clear out
shame not out today
cleaning armor
Amethyst's Experiment Log 7¶
(Beep!)
(TUE - 10/12/5AU - 10PM)
(Cobalt's gone again.)
"I'm probably going to go with a gear system for turning the screw. Allows me to build in a ratio as well, so win-win. I'll have a crank on the side and that will gear over to the screw, gearing down for torque, and will turn the screw."
(Amy exhales.)
"I hope this works."
(Amy takes a sip from her mug.)
"And Cobalt's out on a run. I think. She put on her armor before leaving, at least."
(Amy reaches over to the camera.)
(Beep!)
Cobalt's Field Notebook¶
tue 10/12
clear
wind E
brought jacket, no need
S.'s list
( ) wire(any)
(/) glue
( ) nails
took S ladder out
{!} wp saw me, ran
don't like chances
abandoned house
still can't get wire
ask S. for stepladder
fnd glue, broken cap
(!) took detour
Amethyst's Experiment Log 8¶
(Beep!)
(WED - 10/13/5AU - 11PM)
(Amy is now checking her wax carvings with a ruler. Cobalt on the top bunk is reading.)
"Ok, so I should be able to take these and fit them together with a few bolts when Saul's done. He said that I can give him my wax parts, and he'll cast them out of metal. He didn't say what metal, but it should be good enough for a proof-of-concept. The screw presses onto the gear, sandwiching the frame between the parts. Then I can bolt the parts together. He said it'll take a while."
(Amy reaches over to the camera.)
(Beep!)
Amethyst's Experiment Log 9¶
(Beep!)
(THU - 10/14/5AU - 12AM)
(Amy fits her wax parts together.)
(They fit snugly.)
(Too snugly.)
(She tries to move it and the wax breaks.)
(Soft thud.)
(She sets her head on the desk, then reaches over to the camera. Cobalt looks briefly over at her.)
(Beep!)
Cobalt's Field Notebook¶
wed 10/13
raining out
S. said glue was fine
A. fit wax parts
they broke
felt kinda bad
Amethyst's Experiment Log 10¶
(Beep!)
(THU - 10/14/5AU - 10PM)
"I've delivered the wax parts to Saul. The new ones. The ones that actually fit together. Now, we wait."
(Amy folds her hands on the table. She then slides out her assembly drawing and studies it for a while.)
"How did I not catch that?"
...
(Amy reaches over to the camera.)
(Beep!)
Cobalt's Field Notebook¶
thu 10/14
cloudy
wind E
S.'s list
(x) wire(any)
( ) nails
(x) metal scrap
used S ladder out again
(!) took scenic route
visited the old museum
fnd wire coil
fnd scrap
no nails
fnd a purple rock
cool
(!) rs out, barely got past
fri 10/15
S. said purple rock was a.
funny
Amethyst's Experiment Log 11¶
(Beep!)
(SAT - 10/16/5AU - 8PM)
(Cobalt looks down from the top bunk now and then. Amethyst picks up the camera. Flipping it around, we see the finished machine and Saul. Amy puts the camera back down onto the desk, facing the machine.)
"It's only about a foot wide, but that's ok, it's a test-run."
(Amy breathes deeply.)
"Ok, Saul. Open 'er up."
(After he opens the rift with a strained twist, he steps back and Amy puts the metal hooks in the tiny rift. And it closes immediately, chopping off the ends of the hooks.)
"Oh.
Hmm.
Back to the drawing board, I suppose."
(Amy turns the camera back to where it originally was. Cobalt has a hint of a disappointed expression, but continues reading her book.)
(Beep!)
Cobalt's Field Notebook¶
sat 10/16
A. made new design
didn't work
mmh
sun 10/17
raining out
as long as it isn't on sirdas
Amethyst's Experiment Log 12¶
(Beep!)
(MON - 10/18/5AU - 10PM)
(The candle's burning and the little pot is over it again. Cobalt notices the beep and glances briefly. Amy is pushing her pen on her desk.)
"Saul wasn't tired after opening the rift earlier. But he was tired the other day...Normally you'd open the rift then literally pull it open. What's missing?"
(Amy continues pushing her pen.)
...
"I'll sleep on it, I guess."
(Amy reaches over to the camera.)
(Beep!)
Cobalt's Field Notebook¶
mon 10/18
another log
Amethyst's Experiment Log 13¶
(Beep!)
(TUE - 10/19/5AU - 9PM)
"No log tonight. Have to grade these papers."
(Amethyst gestures to the small stack of papers, a notable lack of Cobalt on the top bunk behind her.)
"Huh. Mercury marked the man as being from realm 10. That's brave. At least it has some merit, though. Most of our technology comes from there."
(Amy marks the question out, then reaches over to the camera.)
(Beep!)
Cobalt's Field Notebook¶
tue 10/19
storming. dang, jinxed it
N wind
took coat, too much
S.'s list
(x) nails
( ) usable wood
(x) insulation
used E old sewer hatch
(!) rs still round
old abandoned factory
got nails, wood rotted
fnd some foam though
(!) went around rs
Amethyst's Experiment Log 14¶
(Beep!)
(WED - 10/20/5AU - 11PM)
"New log. It's my alloyday today. Trying to figure out why the rift closed the other day.
...
"Was it- no..."
...
"He wasn't holding the rift."
(Cobalt glances behind Amy.)
"It wasn't using his energy, and didn't have enough itself, so it closed."
(Amy picks up her pen, and jots something down.)
"But how do I get energy to it? Clearly, from the other day, even Saul doesn't have enough..."
...
"Maybe focus binding? But that's only a legend. I guess it's worth a shot to research it, though."
(Amy reaches over to the camera.)
(Beep!)
Cobalt's Field Notebook¶
wed 10/20
S. said nails rusted but usable
insulation roll made me itchy
fun
A. found issue = no energy
Amethyst's Experiment Log 15¶
(Beep!)
(THU - 10/21/5AU - 9PM)
(The camera's pointed to the room. Cobalt is nowhere to be seen. Amethyst is standing in the open. She does the same motion as Saul. She holds out her fist, focuses on it, and slices through the air. She tries to twist, but...)
(And, I mean, she TRIES.)
(She even moves her legs to get better leverage.)
(Nothing.)
(She pulls out her hand and shakes it off, reaching for the camera with the other.)
(Beep!)
Cobalt's Field Notebook¶
thu 10/21
storming again, weird
SW wind
brought raincoat this time
S.'s list
(x) usable wood
(/) screws (hex pf)
(x) hammer
used W main exit
(!) smoky out, r?
old burned focus school
kinda sad
got wood, rusted screws, hammer
score
(!) rs out and i'm a hw store
Amethyst's Experiment Log 16¶
(Beep!)
(FRI - 10/22/5AU - 10PM)
(the candle's burning, and Amy has her mug, but the little pot is still on the candle. Amy has her reading glasses on and is reading from a book.)
"There. I knew I had just seen it!"
(She shows the camera. The text is so blurry, it's illegible. She takes the book back.)
"'Though focus binding may be a lost art, a similar effect can be achieved by focusing into a shard of amethyst, creating a form of focus energy storage'!"
(Cobalt raises her eyebrows without lowering her book.)
"But where am I going to get amethyst crystal from? Oh-"
(Amy pours the little pot into another mug. She offers it to Cobalt. Cobalt takes a moment, looks at the mug, then takes it. Amy then returns to the book.)
"I guess I could ask Saul."
(Amy pauses for a moment, then reaches over to the camera.)
(Beep!)
Cobalt's Field Notebook¶
fri 10/22
S. said screws no good
dang
A. making progress
gave me tea
thanks
Amethyst's Experiment Log 17¶
(Beep!)
(SAT - 10/23/5AU - 7PM)
Amy: "Do you mind if I-?"
Saul: "No, go ahead."
(The camera gets uncovered and we see Saul again. He's standing in front of some sort of wagon. It's filled with bits and bobs, odds and ends.)
"Do you happen to have a piece of amethyst crystal?"
"You mean, other than yourself? Heheheh. Yep, I do."
"Your roommate brought that in a few runs ago. We're not gonna use it, so here."
"Thanks!"
"No problem.
(Hey, send Cobalt my thanks, ok?)"
(Beep!)
Amethyst's Experiment Log 18¶
(Beep!)
(SAT - 10/23/5AU - 8PM)
(The camera's on the desk again. Candle making tea yet again. Cobalt is sitting up on the top bunk and watching, book in her lap. Amy is holding the crystal in her hands.)
(She squeezes it between her hands, her hands glowing purple.)
(She opens her hands and holds the crystal. Now it's glowing.)
"No way. No way!"
(Amy is beaming. She walks over to the machine, out of shot. Cobalt watches her while facing her book. Amy then rushes back and turns the camera.)
"Here."
(She places the amethyst in the center of the screw portion of the machine.)
"I just need to set it and make new hooks."
(She walks over to the camera.)
(Beep!)
Cobalt's Field Notebook¶
sat 10/23
A. returned with purple rock
A. with a.
lol
it actually held energy
don't mention it, S.
sun 10/24
windy out
no rest for A. tonight
Amethyst's Experiment Log 19¶
(Beep!)
(MON - 10/25/5AU - 7PM)
(Cobalt is now sitting up on the top bunk, book open in her hands, but she's looking around it. Amy moves the camera over to the machine and reveals Saul's here again. She steadies the camera then places a hand on the crystal and focuses on it, leaving it glowing.)
"Ok, Saul."
(Saul opens the tiny rift. The glow from the crystal becomes brighter. Amy places the newly re-made hooks into the rift, and starts cranking...)
(For a moment, nobody breathes. The rift opens a few inches than it was before...)
(Then it shrinks back down and closes again, taking the hooks off again and leaving the crystal a dull purple.)
"That was closer. That was... That was definitely closer."
Saul: "Not what you wanted though, huh?"
"Not by a fair margin."
(She walks over to the camera.)
(Beep!)
Cobalt's Field Notebook¶
mon 10/25
rift stayed for longer with crystal
progress
tue 10/26
clear
SW wind
grabbed scarf, no need
S.'s list
(x) screws (hex pf)
(x) coffee for Z.
( ) useful scrap
took N storm grate
(!) normal wp today
burnt store
fnd more screws, coffee
saw some scrap metal but was stuck
(!) took long road back
Amethyst's Experiment Log 20¶
(Beep!)
(WED - 10/27/5AU - 10PM)
(The camera's on the desk and the candle's lit yet again. It's a new candle, the old one burned down too far. Amy, once again pushing her pen on the desk. Cobalt reading a book, but she hears the beep and looks over.)
"The crystal didn't have enough energy. But it's the closest I've gotten. How can I store or keep more energy? I can't just load it up with crystals. And even then, it would take me forever to charge that alone."
(A few moments of silent pen-pushing.)
(Amy reaches over to the camera.)
(Beep!)
Cobalt's Field Notebook¶
wed 10/27
A. made another log
Amethyst's Experiment Log 21¶
(Beep!)
(THU - 10/28/5AU - 10PM)
(Cobalt's absent.)
"I guess I could maybe have more people come in? How would that help?
(A couple minutes of silent pen-pushing.)
"I'll think on that more. tomorrow. Juggling this and teaching focus has been hard."
(Amy reaches over to the camera.)
(Beep!)
Cobalt's Field Notebook¶
thu 10/28
windy
SE wind
scarf useful
S.'s list
( ) useful scrap
(x) wire (pf copper)
(x) padding
used W tunnel
(!) rs yet again
through courtyard
another house
got wire, dk mat
fnd kneeling pad
(.) too quiet
Amethyst's Experiment Log 22¶
(Beep!)
(FRI - 10/29/5AU - 10PM)
(Amy's just clicking her pen with an empty note paper on her desk.)
"I can't think of anything."
(Cobalt looks up from her book at Amy's back. Amy reaches over to the camera.)
(Beep!)
Cobalt's Field Notebook¶
fri 10/29
A. can't think
Amethyst's Experiment Log 23¶
(Beep!)
(SAT - 10/30/5AU - 11PM)
"Checked in with Saul, he didn't have more amethyst crystals. So that's that idea. Didn't think it was feasible. So how can I supply it with more energy? I can't just plug it in to Saul's generator. Wrong kind of energy. Plus, that powers surveillance. We'd be out intel even if I could use their power."
(Amy taps her pen on the desk.)
"I'll sleep on it again."
(She reaches over to the camera.)
(Beep!)
Cobalt's Field Notebook¶
sat 10/30
took walk but storm
grabbed raincoat
sun 10/31
boo
that's it
cloudy though
Amethyst's Experiment Log 24¶
(Beep!)
(MON - 11/1/5AU - 10PM)
(Amethyst has her head on the desk, and tapping her pen. Cobalt watching her just kind of...sit.)
...
"Nothing."
...
(She reaches over to the camera.)
(Beep!)
Cobalt's Field Notebook¶
mon 11/1
watching A. like this is a little sad
wish i could help
Amethyst's Experiment Log 25¶
(Beep!)
(TUE - 11/2/5AU - 11PM)
(Cobalt's out again. Amethyst has returned to the book that she read about the amethyst crystal in.)
"It says nothing about any other crystals being able to hold focus energy."
(She reaches over to the camera.)
(Beep!)
Cobalt's Field Notebook¶
tue 11/2
rain
N wind
not wet
S.'s list
(/) useful scrap
(/) metal scrap
( ) pliers
used N grate exit
(!) detour again
burned house
fnd scrap parts but small
(!) ashy, didn't stay
Amethyst's Experiment Log 26¶
(Beep!)
(WED - 11/3/5AU - 11PM)
"I'm going to read it again. AGAIN again."
(She reaches over to the camera.)
(Beep!)
Cobalt's Field Notebook¶
wed 11/3
S. said scrap was not enough :(
A.'s reading book again
read it 3 times so far, makes 4
Amethyst's Experiment Log 27¶
(Beep!)
(THU - 11/4/5AU - 10PM)
"I don't understand, there must be SOMETHING I missed."
(Amy flips through the pages frantically, but slow enough not to rip them.)
"I guess I'll keep looking."
(Amy takes a sip from her mug.)
"...It's cold."
(She reaches over to the camera.)
(Beep!)
Amethyst's Experiment Log 28¶
(Beep!)
(FRI - 11/5/5AU - 4AM)
(Cobalt is holding the camera with it facing her, still wearing her leather chestplate. She flips it around and shows Amethyst has fallen asleep in the book.)
(Beep!)
Cobalt's Field Notebook¶
thu 11/4
cloudy, chilly
S wind
way overprepared, sweating already
S.'s list
( ) useful scrap
(x) metal scrap
(x) pliers
used W main exit
{!} seen, ran
hid, passed by
hate getting seen
burned museum again
got metal scrap, pliers
(!) took long way, not risking
A. asleep on her desk when i got back.
she really wants this to work.
i hope she gets it.
Amethyst's Experiment Log 29¶
(Beep!)
(FRI - 11/5/5AU - 10pm)
(Cobalt is now laying on her stomach, resting her head on the top bunk's pitiful excuse of a guard rail. All it does is keep the mattress in. She's covered and seems on the border of sleep. Amy is reading the book again. She flips her pen in her hand.)
...
(She accidentally tosses the pen while flipping it. Moving without thinking to try to catch it, she moves her hand into the candle's flame. Cobalt's eyes widen instantly.)
(But...)
(It doesn't hurt.)
(The candle is glowing purple and now her hand is glowing as well.)
(She looks at her hand intently.)
"hmm. that's your energy source, Ame. fire is energy, energy is focus, and focus opens rifts."
"..."
(Amy instantly takes her hand out of the candle, gets out a new note page and...has a lack of pen. She grabs her pen, then writes those exact words down. "fire is energy, energy is focus, and focus opens rifts.")
(She then reaches over to the camera.)
...
"You remembered that old nickname."
(Beep!)
Cobalt's Field Notebook¶
fri 11/5
A. did it
she found her breakthrough
candle = fire = energy = focus = rift
happy for you, Ame.
Amethyst's Experiment Log 30¶
(Beep!)
(SAT - 11/6/5AU - 10pm)
(The camera is focused on the room again. Cobalt stands on one side and Amy walks to the other with the candle in her hands.)
(Cobalt holds her fist out. Focusing, she slices downwards through the air, and with a little more struggle than Saul, is able to open a small rift. She grabs the side of it and it begins using her energy.)
(Amy starts walking forward with the candle. She makes it almost all the way to a tired Cobalt before, about a foot away from the candle, the rift starts taking energy from it instead of Cobalt. Cobalt releases her grip on the rift. She then tries to pull it open, making sure to grab the outside, but the bigger the rift gets, the smaller the candle's flame becomes. She tries to make the rift too big, and the flame goes out, closing the rift and plunging the room into darkness.)
Cobalt: "i guess that was too much for it..."
Amy: "Apparently so!"
(Beep!)
Cobalt's Field Notebook¶
sat 11/6
offered to help Ame with candle experiment
don't know if i can still open a rift
gonna try
outcome = candle only powers rift ~11in away
tried to stretch the rift, made candle go out
Amethyst's Experiment Log 31¶
(Beep!)
(SUN - 11/7/5AU - 9pm)
(The camera is focused dead ahead on the machine. It's been modified to sit lower to the ground, to allow the candle's flame to have some chance of sustaining the rift. Amy places a new candle underneath it, and strikes a match.)
(fssSSHHSHHSHHhhhh)
(And she lights the candle. Amy steps back. The rift immediately starts feeding off of the candle's flame, fanning it upward. Amy places the hooks on the rift, and cranking...)
...
Amy: "I've never been so happy to see a stable, one-foot diameter rift about a foot off the ground."
Cobalt: "same."
(The framing has the rift completely centered, with the girls standing in front of the rift.)
(Beep!)
(OUT OF MEMORY)
Cobalt's Field Notebook¶
sun 11/7
test of rift machine + candle today
worked flawlessly
stable 1ft rift
Ame started calling Cu29's name through it
hope he hears
want to see him again too